Currently, components, particularly vehicular components such as those found in automotive vehicles, which are to be mated together in a manufacturing process are mutually located with respect to each other by alignment features that are oversized and/or undersized to provide spacing to freely move the components relative to one another to align them without creating an interference therebetween that would hinder the manufacturing process. One example includes two-way and/or four-way male alignment features, typically upstanding bosses, which are received into corresponding female alignment features, typically apertures in the form of holes or slots. There is a clearance between the male alignment features and their respective female alignment features which is predetermined to match anticipated size and positional variation tolerances of the male and female alignment features as a result of manufacturing (or fabrication) variances. As a result, significant positional variation can occur between the mated first and second components having the aforementioned alignment features, which may contribute to the presence of undesirably large variation in their alignment, particularly with regard to the gaps and spacing between them. In the case where these misaligned components are also part of another assembly, such misalignments can also affect the function and/or aesthetic appearance of the entire assembly. Regardless of whether such misalignment is limited to two components or an entire assembly, it can negatively affect function and result in a perception of poor quality.
To align and secure components of a flexible assembly like an electrical wiring harness, the aforementioned male and female alignment features may be employed in combination with separate tree-type fasteners that serve to retain the components relative to each other. In such an assembly, the mating components are located relative to each other by the alignment features, and are fixed relative to each other by the separate fasteners. Use of separate alignment features and fasteners, one for alignment and the other for securement, may limit the effectiveness of each on a given assembly, as the alignment features cannot be employed where the securement components are employed. Additionally, while the use of tree-type fasteners may serve to retain the subject components, that is, prevent them from separating, such fasteners are typically designed to loosely engage the mating aperture once the limbs of the tree-type fastener have been pushed through the mating aperture, thereby resulting in a loose fit and loosely mated components that can rattle and vibrate.
Accordingly, the art of alignment systems can be enhanced by providing an alignment and retention system or mechanism that can ensure precise two-way, four-way or six-way alignment and fastening of two components, with one being flexible, via elastic averaging of a plurality elastically deformable alignment and retention elements disposed in mating engagement with a plurality of corresponding alignment features.